1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a medical apparatus constructed to heat a living tissue. The heating is often performed while the living tissue is grasped by a grasping section. This thermal treatment is performed for the purposes of, for example, coagulation of the living tissue or incision of a coagulated area.
2. Description of the Related Art
A medical apparatus is known that includes a pair of grasping sections for grasping a living tissue and a thermal element provided in either or both of the grasping sections, and which performs thermal treatment by heating the thermal element with a living tissue grasped. This thermal treatment is performed for the purposes of, for example, coagulation of the living tissue or incision of a coagulated area. This medical apparatus is generally used in various operation cases such as the arrest of bleeding at a blood vessel contained in a living tissue, the cauterization of an affected area or a bleeding area in a superficial part of a living tissue, and a blockage in a Fallopian tube for coagulation and contraception.
As this kind of medical apparatus, for example, JP-A-2001-198137 and JP-A-2001-340349 disclose constructions where at least one of a pair of grasping sections has a heat generating element such as a ceramic heater.
In each of these medical apparatus, a thermal plate (therapeutic part) for contact with a living tissue is provided in at least one of the grasping sections, and a heat generating element which is a heat source part is fixed to the thermal plate. Heat generated by the heat generating element is conducted to the thermal plate, and thermal treatment is performed to a living tissue by the thermal plate.
In the construction disclosed in JP-A-2001-340349, the cross-sectional shape of the thermal plate is such that the portion of the thermal plate that is in intimate contact with the heat generating element is smaller in width than the portion of the thermal plate that comes into contact with a living tissue. In this construction, heat generated at the heat generating element can be converged to effect efficiently coagulation and incision of a living tissue.